


Stranger Than Fiction

by Beefmaster



Category: Silicon Valley (TV)
Genre: Fanfiction, Fluff, Humor, M/M, Meta, season five spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-08
Updated: 2018-05-08
Packaged: 2019-05-03 20:53:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,381
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14577432
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Beefmaster/pseuds/Beefmaster
Summary: Even CJ Cantwell coudn't write something this scandalous.Takes place after Season 5, episode 5





	Stranger Than Fiction

**Author's Note:**

> My favorite trope is fictional characters discovering fanfiction about themselves and that setting off a chain of events that gets them together for real.
> 
> Special thanks to emef for some Big Head headcanons, not_the_marimba/animesemplemcpherson for beta-ing, Thesocraticstare for explaining keysmashing to me, and anyone out there who ships Tahani/Eleanor
> 
> I listened to Hanson's album "Middle of Everywhere- The Greatest Hits” while writing this, and I recommend you listen to that while reading this.

mangerdanger + echarmony

 

Monday at 8:34 PM

 

**mangerdanger**

Julia

JULIA

Have you seen this video??

[ https://www.bloomberg.com/news/videos/2018-04-22/pied-piper-interview-video ](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/videos/2018-04-22/pied-piper-interview-video)

 

**echarmony**

Wtf no

Why would I have seen a Bloomberg news video??????

 

**mangerdanger**

just watch it

 

**echarmony**

Ok ok

ok I watched it

 

**mangerdanger**

Do you think those guys are fucking?

 

**echarmony**

FKGJFHDKGKLK

Oh my GODDD

Corinne what the fuckkkk

 

**mangerdanger**

I’m just saying

 

**echarmony**

Lhjgjdkglglgjsahaf

Unreal

I mean, probably not?

They are both cute though

 

**mangerdanger**

Look at how they look at each other!!

I ship it

 

**echarmony**

Lol

You should write fix of them

*Fic

 

**mangerdanger**

Yaaaaas

Richard Hendricks/Jared Dunn slash fic

What would the ship name be?

 

**echarmony**

Richred? Dunnricks?  

 

**mangerdanger**

I like Dunnricks

Ok I’m writing this

 

**echarmony**

Lol good luck

 

_Ping!_

 

Jared’s phone timer chimes, meaning his five minute break is up.  He sighs, closes out of his favorite zinnia blog, and opens up his Gmail.  7 new emails in the last five minutes. _A COO’s work is never done,_ he muses.  Two emails from Richard, one from Monica, a Google Calendar invite from Danny, a brisket recipe from Gloria, a Google Alert, and an email flier from J. Crew.  He decides to be a little naughty, and opens the Google Alert first.

 

It’s an Alert for Richard Hendricks, probably a glowing review of his recent Bloomberg appearance, or perhaps that street style blog has finally accepted Jared’s submission of Richard in that turquoise sweater.  

 

But it’s neither of those things.  Instead, the link reads “Inappropriate Workplace Conduct - Pied Piper RPF.”

 

Jared feels his heart drop.  Inappropriate workplace conduct?  At Pied Piper? How could this have happened without him knowing, and how did this blog, “Archive of Our Own,” find out?  Jared looks around furtively to make sure no one is watching, then clicks the link. Maybe if he acts quickly, he can get ahead of it.

 

It only takes a cursory glance at the website to see this is not a news blog.  In fact, it doesn’t seem like a blog at all, more like a story hosting site. He scrolls down to where the actual story begins.  

 

**Inappropriate Workplace Conduct**

Mangerdanger

 

Summary:

* * *

 

Richard Hendricks and Jared Dunn are working late one night, when the tension gets to be too much.

 

Notes:

* * *

 

Lol so I saw this interview on Bloomberg ([ https://www.bloomberg.com/news/videos/2018-04-22/pied-piper-interview-video ](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/videos/2018-04-22/pied-piper-interview-video)) and I decided those two are definitely in love.  Anyway I wrote this drabble about them kissing.

 

Thanks to Echarmony for beta-ing and putting up with my nonsense!

 

 _So this is a story about Richard and me,_ he thinks, _based on our Bloomberg interview, and in it we… kiss?_ Jared blushes.  Sure, he’s never been the most subtle about how he feels about Richard, but he had thought that at least he had been professional in the interview.  But apparently his feelings were evident enough to inspire fanfiction.

 

The fic itself is fairly chaste.  In it, Jared and Richard are working late, and Jared decides to put on a jazz album.  They start talking about music, which leads to talking about dancing, which leads to Richard offering to show Jared how to dance, which leads to them holding each other close, which leads, of course, to kissing, and a confession of love from both parties.  

 

So, very chaste.  And yet Jared can’t help but feel a certain heat rise on his neck.  He leaves kudos (it’s only polite) and quickly changes tabs.

 

Late that afternoon, Jared is making tea in the kitchen when Richard approaches him.

 

“Hey Jared, do you mind if I check that spreadsheet Becky shared with us on your computer real quick?  My computer is downloading a software update, so I can’t check.”

 

“Of course, Richard,” Jared says, methodically raising and lowering his teabag, “You know the password.”

 

“Thanks.”  Richard pats Jared on the arm before making his way to Jared’s computer.  Jared beams. He continues to steep his tea, then places two ice cubes in it, cleans off the counter, and saunters over to his desk.

 

Richard is still hunched over his desk when he arrives.  He’s about to suggest he prints the spreadsheet when he realizes that Richard isn’t looking at the spreadsheet at all, but rather a certain white and red website.

 

“Richard,” he says cautiously.  Richard looks up.

 

“This is fanfiction.  About us.”

 

“Yes, it popped up on my Google Alert for you.”

 

“Why do you- never mind, that’s not important.  Were you not going to tell me?”

 

“I wanted to wait until we got home, I didn’t want to disrupt the work day.”  Which is a lie. Jared hadn’t really planned on telling him at all. He feels terribly embarrassed, as if he had been the one to write the story himself.  Fortunately, Richard seems to accept that answer.

 

“Well, it’s completely out of character.”  Richard says decisively.

 

“Oh, yes, of course, we would never-”

 

“I mean, I wouldn’t be the one to show you how to dance.  You would have to show me.”

 

“I did take a ballroom dance class once.”

 

“And why am I so shy in this?  I think the phrase ‘Richard blushes’ is in here three times.  I don’t blush.”

 

“No, I suppose not.”

 

“It’s silly,” Richard concludes.  “Whatever, my software update should be done by now.  I’m going back to work.”

 

That evening, Jared stirred spaghetti sauce, while Richard sat at the kitchen counter, working at his laptop.

 

“I hope you’re not still doing work, Richard,” Jared says, sprinkling a little oregano into the sauce.  “We talked about this, remember? Stress levels?”

 

“It’s not, no, it’s not Pied Piper stuff.  I’m just leaving a comment.”

 

“A comment on what?”

 

“That fic about us.”

 

Jared stops stirring.  “Richard, I don’t think that’s a good idea-”

 

“I’m not going to say who I am, I just- look, I saw the interview.  And maybe they cut me speaking, but I definitely didn’t come off as someone who _blushes_.”  

 

“So what are you going to comment?”  Jared spoons the perfect amount of sauce over Richard’s pasta.  

 

“I’m going to comment that this fic seems a little out of character, and that based on the interview, I don’t think Richard would get embarrassed just because he and Jared brushed hands.  I mean, come on.”

 

Jared places their plates onto his already set kitchen table.  “Just don’t be mean. Dinner’s ready.”

 

“I’m not mean,” Richard says, sliding off the bar stool.  “Is that gluten-free pasta?”

 

“Yes, the gastroenterologist suggested you try it, at least until the blood tests came back, remember?”

 

“Right, yeah.  Thanks Jared.”

 

Later, while Jared reads his Andrew McCall Smith mystery in bed, Richard plops down beside him on the pull out couch, laptop in hand.

 

“She responded. To my comment.”

 

Jared places his bookmark between the pages, and turns to Richard.  “What did she say?”

 

“Well, she totally ignored my criticism, first of all.  She said ‘lol I’m so glad I’m not the only Dunnricks shipper out there.  I’d love to see your take on this pairing, lmk if you ever write any fic for them!’  Can you believe her?”

 

“That seems like a very polite response,” Jared says.  As much as he likes to see Richard get passionate about something, it isn’t healthy for him to get this riled up before bedtime.  

 

“It’s completely passive-aggressive,” Richard counters.  “Let me know if you ever write any fic for them?? I mean, she might as well have told me to go fuck myself.”

 

“I doubt that’s what she meant, Richard,” Jared placates.  

 

“Yeah, maybe. Geez, it’s cold out here.”  Richard slips his legs under the covers, and resituates the computer in his lap.  He closes the Archive of our Own tab and pulls up an article on Gizmodo.

 

Jared looks over at Richard.  Richard’s bare leg is mere inches from him, and he can feel his body heat so clearly, it’s like a hand wrapped around his thigh.  He picks up his book and smiles to himself.

 

mangerdanger + echarmony

 

Wednesday at 10:03 AM

 

**mangerdanger**

Dude I just read your royalty AU!  So good!!

 

**echarmony**

Thanks!  I was worried it was a little TOO out of character for Eleanor to be royalty, but I think it works

 

**mangerdanger**

No it defintely does, like it really helps explain her entitlement lol

 

**echarmony**

True lol

Oh hey I saw that comment on your dunnricks fic

Who does thst asshole think they are??

 

**mangerdanger**

RIGHT??????

Like what the fuckkkkk how can you say my fic is out of character like we don’t even know these dudes

MY response was super passive aggressive lol, I was like “Maybe YOU should try writing some fic next time!!!!”

 

**echarmony**

I hope they do, you two should start a fic war lol

 

**mangerdanger**

Haha I love it

 

“What the hell?”

 

“Is everything alright, Richard?” Jared asks, cautiously entering Richard’s office.

 

“No!  Not at all!  Apparently you have to wait like 3 weeks to get an Ao3 account!”

 

“A what?”

 

“Ao3, Archive of Our Own.  It’s that fanfiction site.”

 

Jared closes the door behind him.  “Richard, why would you need an Ao3 account?”

 

“Because,” Richard says, slamming his laptop closed, “that Mangerdanger or whatever thought she won by saying ‘why don’t you write your own fic,’ but I was going to show her by writing my own fic.”

 

“Richard, let me make sure I understand this correctly.  You are in a fight with a person you don’t know on the internet over whether some fanfiction they wrote was in character, and so in order to retaliate, you’re going to write some fanfiction about yourself?”

 

It would seem that Mangerdanger wasn’t as off-base in her characterization as Richard claimed, because Richard’s entire face turns red.

 

“I don’t- it’s not- I’m not retaliating.  I’m just not backing down. I’m standing up for myself.  There’s a difference.”

 

“I agree there’s a difference, but I think you may be on the wrong side of the line.”

 

“That’s - no.  You’re wrong. But it doesn’t matter, since apparently I can’t get an Ao3 account.  Do people still use LiveJournal?”

 

“I don’t think so.”

 

“Damn.  Fine. I won’t write the fic.  Are you happy?”

 

“I just want _you_ to be happy,” Jared offers.  Richard rolls his eyes.

 

“Whatever.  Do you want to go see Black Panther again tonight?  It’s still playing at the Regal on 24th.”

 

“I would love to.”

 

Richard didn’t bring the fic up again for the rest of the work day.  He didn’t reference it at the movies either, instead opting to tell Jared all the production trivia he had looked up since the first time they had seen the movie together.  Jared, for his part, managed to avoid the temptation of putting his arm around Richard’s shoulder, instead contenting himself to relish in the feeling of Richard’s breath on his ear as he points out that the getaway car in the museum scene is driving on the wrong side of the road.  

 

Jared almost believes that Richard has in fact let the whole fanfiction thing go, until that evening when he’s brushing his teeth, and Richard comes into the bathroom, already dressed for bed.

 

“Hey Jared, good news.”

 

Jared spits into the sink.

 

“Yes, Richard?”

 

“So I remembered that Big Head used to write DS9 fanfiction.  I texted him, and he does have an Ao3. He says I can use his account to publish my fic.”

 

“Richard, why is this so important to you?” Jared asks desperately.

 

“Because that’s not how we would get together!”

 

Jared turns around slowly to face Richard.  Richard, realizing what he just said, squeezes his eyes shut.  

 

“Richard...” Jared says, quietly, cautiously.  

 

“I just… if we were going to get together, it wouldn’t be casual like that.  It wouldn’t just be us working together and then we kiss. It would have to be… it would have to be big.  Because there’s so much at stake. Between us.” Richard opens his eyes. He looks so lost, so forlorn. Tears are welling up at the corners of his eyes, and Jared wants to lean forward, brush them away, but he doesn’t.  “If I were going to tell you I loved you, I would have to be really, really brave.”

 

“Richard-” Jared tries again, but Richard cuts him off.

 

“But I’m not very brave.  So you don’t have to worry about it.  Just- let’s pretend this didn’t happen, okay?”  Richard turns on his heel, practically running back to Jared’s bedroom.

 

“Richard wait, please.”  Richard turns around. He’s fully crying now, but his jaw is clenched, set.

 

“What, Jared?”

 

Jared is nothing if not accommodating, but more importantly, he is nothing if not brave. So if Richard needs him to be brave, that’s the very least he can do.

 

“Richard, I love you.  I’m in love with you.”

 

Richard wipes the tears away from his face.

 

“Don’t- don’t just say that.”

 

“I’m not.”  Jared quickly closes the distance between them, takes Richard’s hands in his own.  “Richard, I’m in love with you. I’ve been in love with you for years. I assumed you knew.  I’m just sorry I didn’t tell you sooner.”

 

Richard sniffs.  His face is red, and he has snot bubble forming at his nose, but all Jared can think is that he is so, unbelievably beautiful.  He hooks his finger under Richard’s chin, tilting his face up.

 

“Richard, may I kiss you?”

 

Richard nods furiously.  Before Jared can kiss him, Richard closes the distance between them, and kisses him first.  It’s a little gross; Jared can feel Richard’s snot against his skin, but he doesn’t mind. When they break apart, Jared giggles, and whispers in Richard’s ear:

 

“So Richard, are you going to teach me to dance?”

 

mangerdanger + echarmony

 

Sunday at 11:56 AM

 

**echarmony**

OMG CORINNE!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

**mangerdanger**

WHAT

 

**echarmony**

So there was a post that linked to an article about being out in tech, and guess who’s in the article?

 

**mangerdanger**

no

 

**echarmony**

Oh yeah

https://www.geekwire.com/2018/out-in-tech-what-its-like-to-be-lgbt-in-silicon-valley/

Apparently Jared Dunn and Richard Hendricks are dating now!!

 

**mangerdanger**

Omg omg omg

I have never felt more vindicated in my LIFE

Should I post this link in response to that one commenter?

 

**echarmony**

The one who thought your fic was ooc?  Definitely. They’re gonna be so pissed.

 

**Author's Note:**

> "If only I had the guts to feel this way"- Hanson, "If Only"
> 
> If you didn't click the Bloomberg link, please do that now. You will not regret.
> 
> The getaway car in the museum scene of Black Panther drives on the right side of the road, because the scene was filmed at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, but it's supposed to take place in London, so they should have been driving on the left side of the road!!!!
> 
> If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, you can leave them in the comments. If you want to ship me with anyone, real or fictional, please let me know at ladiesloveduranduran.tumblr.com


End file.
